By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
The police detectives attached to Ogwashi Uku Police Division in Delta state have in the early hours of Thursday arrested five suspected transformer vandals, and recovered stolen items from them.
There has been hue and cry in the last few weeks by residents of Ogwashi Uku Kingdom over irregular power supply by the Benin Distribution Company (BEDC) but the Public Affairs Manager of the Company, Edo/Delta state,Mrs Esther Okolie blamed the situation on continued vandalization of BEDC equipmet and transformers in the community, adding that the company was making adequate arrangements through appeal to the community leaders to ensure protection of the properties.
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested on intelligence gathering by the police detectives while they were returning from their operations around Ogbe ofu quarters in Ogwashi Uku Kingdom where they had allegedly vandalized the transformer supplying the area.
Sources said that the transformer located at the entrance of Dac Chukwurah street was allegedly vandalized by the suspets who made away with its equipmet but luck ran out of them when the Police detectives acting on intelligence gathering, rounded them up with the equipmet.
Confirming the arrest of the suspects, the Police Commissioner in the state, Adeleke Adeyinka said”when the police stopped them, they found the stolen equipmet with them and apprehend them on the spot when they tried to escape, and they recovered Armor Cables, many other things from the suspects, the suspects also led the police to an uncompleted building where they found many BEDC equipmet they kept inside the building”, adding that the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigation and further arrest of others currently at large.
Investigation revealed that over 2,000 BEDC equipmet across the state have been stolen by unknown thieves and the situation had plunged many Communities in darkness for over a year without power supply.
Adeyinka however gave the names of the suspects as Ogochukwu Mark,35, John Osekwe 42,. Nnamdi Apkors,33,Chiedu Chukwurah,.32, and Ifeanyi Nnji 32, adding that the suspects had made useful statement to the police and investigation ongoing
